


Stars In The Dark

by Kharybelle



Category: Banana Bus Squad, Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Supernatural Hunters, Bryce has a crush on Ohm the size of the moon, Bryce is secretive, Cartoonz kicks ass, Delirious is a little unstable, Drabble Sequence, Established Delitoonz, F in Gun Safety, First Meetings, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Brohm, M/M, Minor Violence, Multi, Ohm is rather innocent, Pre-OT4, Swearing, Touchy-Feely
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-07
Updated: 2017-07-23
Packaged: 2018-11-28 22:29:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 6,809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11427522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kharybelle/pseuds/Kharybelle
Summary: After an unexpected run-in with some unfriendly vampires, Delirious and Cartoonz hole up in a cheap motel. They have no idea the trouble they caused in Rapid City for some demons is about to catch up with them.Since his family was killed in a mysterious gas explosion, Bryce hasn't stayed too long in one place. His next hunt brings him to Chicago, where a goblin in the wrong spot at the right time accidentally drags him into the line of fire.Ohm finally has a steady job and his own house. Too bad that's not what fate intends for him.This was originally intended to be a series of drabbles. Then they grew a plot. Chapter length varies, and they don't always connect linearly. Some slightly graphic violence, but not really graphic. I might have forgotten tags; I'll try to remember to add them if I remember. Mostly implied/pre-relationships. Thanks to AgathaBrine for the Beta!





	1. Restless (Delitoonz)

**Author's Note:**

> Because of their drabble origins, each chapter was originally intended to have a single pairing or threesome, and the last was an OT4. They're still formatted that way, but less obviously, so you can read them as gen instead if you prefer. Except the Delitoonz. That's still fanfic-canon. If that's a thing. I dunno. Feedback is awesome!

It was only 3:23 when Delirious gave in and looked at his phone again – still a couple of hours before sunrise. He was leaning against the headboard of the only bed in a cheap motel room, one leg bent at the knee. His fingers repeatedly flipped and rotated his now-dark phone, but otherwise, the room was still and silent.  
  
He was still wearing his shoes.  
  
Empty wrappers from used first aid supplies littered the floor around the bed. The garbage can was full of bloody rags that he would have to dispose of in the morning. There was a pair of sweatshirts and a t-shirt in the bathroom sink. While the sweaters were stained beyond salvaging, the shirt had been torn in half.  
  
On the bedside table, where the alarm clock had been until Delirious had dumped it unceremoniously on the floor, his machete and Beretta were left within easy reach.  
  
His lover dozed fitfully beside him, wrapped in blankets that hid the bandages on his torso. Cartoonz looked unusually small, curled in on himself, facing Delirious with his back to the wall. Blood had seeped through the gauze over his eye earlier in the night but, best as Delirious could tell in the poor lighting, it looked like the wound had finally stopped bleeding.  
  
Just looking at it brought red-hot anger bubbling back to the surface. Cartoonz’ eyes were his best feature. Delirious wanted to find the person – vampire – who’d done this, who’d hurt Cartoonz, maybe maimed him for _life _, and take them apart, skin them, tear into their flesh until they regretted ever crossing paths with the two hunters.__  
  
Too bad he’d already put a bullet between her huge doe-eyes and splattered her brains all over the wall in a fit of desperate rage when Cartoonz’ screaming brought him into the room while she was still carving into the bigger hunter’s face.  
A pathetic whimper pulled Delirious abruptly back from his murderous thoughts. Cartoonz was stirring, his face twisted in pain. For a moment, Delirious seriously considered waking him. But the pain would still be there when he woke, and one of them needed to be semiconscious tomorrow, in case there were more vampires like the one they’d just staked out looking for revenge.  
  
In the morning, they’d know if the vampire had taken Cartoonz’ eye entirely before she died.


	2. Honesty (Brohm)

“What the…?!?”  
  
Bryce spun around - covered in blood, ax in hand and a greenish, decapitated corpse at his feet. A single bite wound was bleeding steadily on his forearm. Even as he moved to stand in front of the body, he knew it was too late.  
  
At the far end of the alley, inadvertently blocking Bryce’s escape, a young man stood open-mouthed, hazel eyes wide behind silver frames. Several bags of groceries were on the ground at his feet, their contents spilled on the pavement. He glanced at Bryce, hand creeping towards his pocket to where he cellphone likely was.  
  
“It’s OK! It’s not…” Bryce trailed off. Telling him the body wasn’t human probably wasn’t as helpful as he’d like to think. Instead, he put the ax down, holding up his empty hands up in front of himself. “I’m not gonna hurt you.”  
  
The brunet hesitated, eyes flicking between Bryce, Bryce’s bloody hands, and the body behind him. “Wh-what is that?” He asked finally.  
  
“Goblin,” Bryce answered truthfully, hoping to keep the older guy calm long enough to dispose of the body.  
  
“…Seriously?” The man already looked steadier. Bryce nodded, keeping one eye on him as he turned back towards the body. The other moved forward a little and watched while Bryce threw the body into the dumpster beside them. “I didn’t know goblins existed.”  
  
“Yeah. Vampires too. Werewolves. Demons. You name it, really,” Bryce said amiably. He winced as he reached past the man, his arm protesting as tossing the head in the dumpster with the rest of the body. “It’s kinda a long story.”  
  
Gentle fingers closed on his wrist, “you’re bleeding.”  
  
Bryce froze, stopped halfway to grabbing his matches and repressing the urge to reach for his gun. The shorter man, much closer than Bryce remembered him getting, didn’t seem to notice. His attention was solely fixed on Bryce’s forearm.  
  
“It’s not that bad.” He offered hesitantly. It had been a while since anyone had gotten this close without trying to kill him.  
  
Hazel eyes studied Bryce’s face carefully. He let go of Bryce’s wrist, and Bryce took the opportunity to throw a couple of lit matches into the dumpster. Goblins burned easily – there would be nothing left of the body by the time the fire department arrived. When he turned back, the other man held out a hand.  
  
“I’m Ryan,” he said, resolve clear on his expressive face. “But most people call me Ohm.”  
  
“Ohm?” Bryce smiled in spite of himself. He took Ohm’s hand anyway. “Nice to meet you, Ohm. I’m Bryce.”  
  
“Well, Bryce, I happen to be a registered nurse. I’ll make you a deal. If you tell me this ‘long story’, I’ll patch up that bite of yours.”  
  
It surprised them both a little when Bryce nodded. “That’s fair. Want some help with your groceries?”


	3. Mist (Brynathan)

Chicago was cloaked in the thickest fog Delirious had ever seen. Most people had the good sense to stay home, but their admittedly-already-badly-stocked-first-aid-kit was now totally out of antiseptic and clean bandages. So, while Cartoonz slept, Delirious had run into the city to restock.  
  
Now, unable to see more than a foot in front of him through the eye-holes of his mask and listening to cars creep along nearby but unable to spot them through the fog, Delirious was having serious misgivings about his life choices. He didn’t want Cartoonz’ eye to get infected – it was enough of a relief that the eye looked to be whole, though he had plenty of experience with injuries and guessed this one would scar – but he also didn’t want Cartoonz to wake up by himself.  
  
He knew how scary that could be.  
  
“Shoulda left a damn note,” he realized out loud. Anxious to get back, he sped up, dodging around street signs and pausing only to listen for cars before hurrying across the road. His attention was still on the muffled noise of traffic when he ran headlong into a lanky blond coming up the curb from the other direction. The other man was taller than Delirious, and while not as broad, when they tumbled to the ground, Delirious was annoyed to find the younger man – boy? – on top of him.  
  
“Shoot. Sorry,” the sunny smile inches from Delirious’ own face seemed unfazed by the hockey mask he’d nearly used as a pillow. “Are you alright?”  
  
Delirious tried to scowl back, tried to voice his opinion that this kid should watch where the hell he’s going – nevermind that it was half his own fault too – but damned if that boy wasn’t the prettiest thing he’d seen in months. He met the bright blue gaze, seeing genuine concern behind that easy smile, and found his mouth was suddenly very dry.  
  
“Err… wanna get offa me?”  
  
“Oh! I’m so sorry!”  
  
Watching the other man scramble to his feet, Delirious was grateful for his mask. He let himself stare a little as the man moved away, so he seen the gun tucked into the waistband of the man’s jeans when his shirt rode up. When he straightened up, he offered his hand to help Delirious up.  
  
Delirious tensed. He’d left his own gun at the motel for Cartoonz, since it had less recoil than the one his boyfriend preferred and would hopefully be easier on his injuries. The knife strapped to his thigh dug into his skin reassuringly, though – there was no one better with a blade than him.  
  
But the guileless smile above him didn’t suggest he would need it. Delirious took his hand.  
  
With a quick “sorry again, buddy,” and a wave, the blond disappeared into the mist, leaving Delirious thinking that Cartoonz would _really _like that man’s ass.__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As of yesterday, all the chapters of this are done. Yay! All that's left is to remember to post them - the goal is every second day - but I'm a little scattered, so fingers crossed!


	4. Mad (Ohmtoonz)

Delirious had taken most of the stitches out of Cartoonz’ chest and arm earlier, but they’d agreed to leave his eye bandaged for a bit longer. He’d promised Delirious he would take it easy until he got back with food, so he was propped up on the bed, flipping between Sesame Street and an early-2000’s movie about drug addicts. The cheap motel Delirious had chosen had several advantages. They took cash, didn’t ask for ID, and had a large dumpster across the parking lot from their room that was emptied twice a week. It came with even more drawbacks. Neither of the boys took their shoes off in the room because the carpet was crusty in some spots, stained all over (Cartoonz was fairly certain the one in the corner was blood, and equally sure it wasn’t his), and there was a large patch near the door that looked like it had caught fire at some point. There was mold growing around the toilet in the bathroom, Delirious was convinced that the unusual hole in the ceiling was for a secret creeper-camera, and, most importantly, the TV only had 3 channels.  
  
Four, if you counted the weather. Cartoonz didn’t.  
  
Cartoonz was wondering if the drug-addict movie actually had a plot when a commotion outside caught his attention. Moving carefully, Cartoonz crossed the room and pushed aside the dusty curtain to see what was going on.  
  
The motel room next door was open, and as Cartoonz watched, a man emerged from the room, dragging a screeching, struggling redhead with him. When he turned his head, Cartoonz got a better look at the man’s face. His eyes were solid black.  
  
Demon.  
  
Cartoonz went straight for the bedside table, grabbing the gun Delirious had left there, before immediately unlatching his door and rushing outside.  
  
The girl had gotten loose in the seconds he had missed, and had taken off running, barefoot, down the highway, still wailing at the top of her lungs. Another car had pulled into the parking lot, Cartoonz realized, and some good Samaritan, dressed in grey nursing scrubs, had come to her rescue. The man was trying to fight back, but there was little he could do against brute supernatural strength. The demon tossed him like a ragdoll, moving swiftly to stand over his victim before he could start to get up. Cartoonz pointed the familiar gun at the demon’s head.  
  
“Hey, dickbag!” The demon looked up at Cartoonz’ shout, and Cartoonz didn’t hesitate to pull the trigger. The demon toppled off his victim, blood spreading from his chest about a foot below where Cartoonz had been aiming. The man on the ground scrambled backwards away from the body, coughing as he regained his breath.  
  
“You OK, man?” Cartoonz asked. He never heard the reply. Pain lanced through the back of his head as something heavy struck him from behind, and everything went dark.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Next thing he knew, he was waking up in a moving vehicle. His eye snapped open, then instantly closed again against the throbbing in his head and the sunlight coming through the windshield.  
  
“Thank God, you’re awake,” the voice beside him was warm and soothing. Judging by how close he sounded, Cartoonz was in the passenger seat, and the voice beside him was driving.  
  
“Wha’ happened?” His head felt foggy. It should probably concern him how much effort it took to get those two words out.  
  
“After you shot the first guy, three more came out of the motel. I grabbed your gun, but I’ve never shot anything before,” the man sounded embarrassed. “Then the guy you shot started to get up again. I dragged you over to my car and got the hell out of there… I’m Ohm, by the way.”  
  
“Cartoonz.” It had been a trap. The knowledge hurt almost as much as the blow to his head had. He and Del had been so careful, and he’d still screwed up, dragging this guy into the mess with him. He risked opening his eye again, slower this time. His eyes landed on his rescuers’ scrub top first – it had bunnies on it.  
  
“Where’re we goin'?” Cartoonz demanded. His eye hurt. His chest hurt. He couldn’t let this guy – this genuinely good guy – get hurt because he had fucked up.  
  
“Erm… my place?” The driver looked at his passenger hesitantly. “I couldn’t think of anywhere else. Besides, I have a friend staying with me who might be able to help.”  
  
“I don’t need your damn help!” Cartoonz put all the anger and venom he could into his words.  
  
The smaller man looked at him again, alarmed. “C’mon man, you look like shit…”  
  
“I’m fine. Let me out.”  
  
“No.” Ohm looked surprised at what came out of his own mouth. He was studying Cartoonz’ face now, and there must have been something there that strengthened his resolve. “No, I’m taking you home.”  
  
“Those were demons back there,” Cartoonz couldn’t help but try again to convince him.  
  
“More reason for you not to be alone,” Ohm declared, his grip tightening on the steering wheel.  
  
Alone. “Oh my God, Delirious. We have to go back and get him!”  
  
“What?”  
  
“He went out for food. He’ll be back any second!” Panic cleared the fog from Cartoonz’ mind but brought his headache to the forefront. Delirious was going to walk right into that same trap he did.  
  
“Ok,” Ohm agreed, pulling over. He yanked his keys out of the ignition.  
  
“Wha’ are you…”  
  
“This is my house,” Ohm cut him off. Cartoonz was stunned to realize he hadn’t noticed they had pulled into a residential area. Ohm climbed out of the car and circled to open the passenger door before continuing. “You are going to stay on my couch and explain everything to Bryce when he gets back. I’ll go find your friend.”  
  
“Boyfriend,” Cartoonz corrected without thinking. “An’ I’m goin’ with you.”  
  
“You can barely hold a conversation,” Ohm pointed out. He helped Cartoonz to his feet, further illustrating his point when Cartoonz had to lean on his shoulder to not lose his balance. Ohm helped him inside, returning Delirious’ pistol to him with a pointed “please don’t shoot my other guest.” Then he was dashing out the door again.  
  
“He’s wearing his hockey mask!” Cartoonz bellowed after him. A fresh wave pain had him stumbling over to the couch. He had no idea if Ohm heard him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I might have to add Cartoonz to my spellcheck. He's the only one my computer thinks is wrong lol.  
> I also have trouble writing Cartoonz. Sometimes it's Delirious (they seem to flip-flop), but usually it's Cartoonz, so I'm curious to know how I did!


	5. Smoke (Ohmlirious)

Ohm seen the smoke long before he seen the fire. It rose thick and black into the reddish sky, keeping the bright setting sun from getting into his eyes. There was so much of it, Ohm was surprised that he arrived before the fire department did.  
  
Even with his air-conditioning on, Ohm could feel the heat from the inferno inside his car. Every wall, every inch of the motel roof, and every window and door was engulfed in flames. The parking lot was totally empty when Ohm pulled in, except a solitary figure with a pair of black duffle bags at his feet, watching the building burn. There was a gun in one of his hands and a machete in the other. Like Cartoonz said, the figure wore a battered hockey mask.  
  
Ohm hesitantly left his vehicle to approach the figure. Delirious stood a little shorter than himself with ash blond hair, and wore an oversized, fraying blue hoodie. He didn’t turn to look at Ohm, but his fingers tightened around his knife the same way Bryce’s hands twitched when Ohm came up behind him, so he was sure Delirious knew he was there.  
  
He needed to spend less time with hunters – he was going to get himself stabbed this way.  
  
“Delirious?”  
  
Delirious turned slowly to face him. His mask and clothes were streaked with blood and soot, but he appeared to be unharmed. His eyes behind the mask were dark blue and his gaze was vacant, going straight through Ohm. It was a little unnerving, and Ohm shivered. He didn’t think the hunter was really seeing _him, _but wasn’t sure he wanted to know what he was seeing.__  
  
“Delirious?” He tried again. “Did… Did you do this?”  
  
“’Killed Cartoonz,” he slurred. His accent was thicker than Cartoonz’, and Ohm wondered for half a second if he’d been drinking. Then, louder, “they killed Cartoonz.” His left hand, the one with the gun started to raise with his voice. Ohm froze. Delirious wasn’t really looking at him, per se, but he didn’t doubt that he would kill whoever-it-was he thought he was seeing.  
  
“Cartoonz is alive,” he told Delirious hurriedly. The gun paused. That dark gaze fixed on Ohm’s face with so much intensity Ohm could feel it on his skin. “I took him to my place to rest. He’s alive.”  
  
In a blink, that empty look was gone. “Of course he’s alive. He wouldn’ die so easy. It’d take a lot more than a couple of demons to kill him. Where is he? Is he hurt?”  
  
It took Ohm a moment to recover from the sudden switch. “He took a nasty hit to the head, but he was awake when I left him. He’s worried about you.” The feeling appeared to be mutual.  
  
“Well wha’ are we waitin’ for?” Delirious picked up the duffel bags and pushed past him towards the car. “Let’s go get ‘im.”


	6. Delicate (Brytoonz)

Shocked wasn’t a strong enough word to describe how Bryce felt when he got back to Ohm’s house to discover the not only was his host not home yet, but a total stranger was napping on his couch. Ohm was nothing if not punctual, and the last couple of days he’d already started supper by the time Bryce got back.  
  
Bryce stared at the figure sleeping soundly on the couch. He was tall and lean, though not as willowy as Bryce himself was, and his hair was both darker and shorter than Ohm’s. One of his hands was under the throw blanket he was using as a pillow. His right eye was covered with clean gauze, held in place by what looked like masking tape – clearly not Ohm’s neat work. Ohm hadn’t mentioned anyone coming over. Come to think of it, Bryce couldn’t remember Ohm talking to anyone besides him since the day they’d met.  
  
Feeling paranoid, Bryce took the gun from the waistband of his pants in his left hand, holding it out of sight behind the couch before raising his voice. “Hey man, can I help you?”  
  
The man shot into a sitting position at the cheerful words. His hand emerged from the blanket bearing a gun, and he was fast enough that, in the time it took Bryce to point his own weapon, the stranger had his aimed in Bryce’s general direction too.  
  
“Whoa there,” Bryce tried for a soothing tone. “I’m not in the habit of killing people. Let’s talk about this. What are you doing in my friend’s house?”  
  
The brunet blinked, his gaze unfocused. “I… Ohm.” His expression cleared. “You mus’ be Bryce.”  
  
Bryce tilted his head a little, letting a patronizing smile cross his face. "Present. And you are…?”  
  
“Cartoonz,” came the dry reply, annoyance creeping in. “Ohm saved my ass. He wen’ to go get my boyfriend… I don’ know when tha’ was.”  
  
Bryce let his gun drop a little, and Cartoonz followed suit. “Helping seems to be his thing,” he agreed. “Coffee?”  
  
“Fuck yes.” 

  
  
  


Since he was in the kitchen anyway, Bryce pulled out the chicken Ohm had left defrosting out of the fridge. Cartoonz leaned against the doorframe, drinking the coffee Bryce handed him and explaining his story while the blonde chopped up the poultry and started on supper.  
  
“Your takin’ this awful well,” Cartoonz observed when Bryce failed to react to his blasé explanation of demons.  
  
Bryce held up his arm with a shrug, indicating the neatly bandaged bite wound. “Goblin last Wednesday. That’s how I met Ohm, too. I do have a question, though.” He pushed the pan into the oven and set the timer before turning back to Cartoonz and folding his arms. “What do you mean, it was a trap? What did you even do to get a bunch of freaking demons after you?”  
  
Cartoonz raised an eyebrow at him, but whatever he was going to say was interrupted by a high-pitched scraping sound, like metal on concrete. They both froze.  
  
“Wha’ the fuck was tha‘?” Cartoonz growled. “Ohm?”  
  
Shaking his head, Bryce crept over to the window and reached for the curtain.  
  
Then the wall beside him exploded. His feet left the floor in a blast of hot air and drywall. Just as suddenly as he’d left the ground, Bryce landed painfully on his back, on top of what felt like a pile of disintegrated wall. Trying to catch his breath, he opened his eyes, just in time to see one of the lower cabinets land on top of his torso with a sharp crack. Only the impact forcing all the air from his lungs kept Bryce from screaming as excruciating pain ripped through his chest.  
  
Ears ringing, Bryce pushed at the counter, trying to dislodge it, but every movement in his shoulders brought on a new flash of debilitating pain. Putting any pressure on them was out of the question. Even breathing made his ribs shriek in agony. He closed his eyes, fighting to even out his breathing.  
  
_I need to get out of here, _he thought desperately. But when he opened his eyes, a pair of jet black eyes were staring down at him, a cruel grin playing across her lips.__  
  
While he watched, her mouth moved, but whatever she was saying was lost in the incessant ringing in the blonde’s ears. When he didn’t react, she frowned, seeming to realize that he had no idea what she was saying. She took a single, aggressive step towards him. The first tendrils of panic crept in, and Bryce pushed again against the cabinet, aborting the movement quickly at the flare of pain that followed the effort. He was trapped.  
  
Sensing his fear, the demon’s smirk returned, and she moved closer, leaning playfully on the cabinet on his chest. The pained whine that escaped Bryce’s throat was loud enough that he could hear it over the fading ringing in his ears. The demon’s smile grew impossibly wider, and she opened her mouth to say something else.  
  
She never got the chance. Cartoonz crossed the room like lightning, tearing the demon in her much-smaller host off the cabinet. The knife flashing in his hand looked suspiciously like the ones from Ohm’s kitchen drawer. While Bryce watched, Cartoonz stabbed her three times in quick succession – twice in her stomach and once in her neck. When he dropped the body, it didn’t move again.  
  
“They won’ stay down long. We gotta get outta here.” Cartoonz said brusquely, tossing the knife aside. He lifted the cabinet off Bryce with a grunt, as carefully as he could.  
  
“Sorry,” Cartoonz mumbled when a hiss of pain escaped between Bryce’s clenched teeth.  
  
“It’s fine,” Bryce’s reply was practically a whisper.  
  
Getting up was its own kind of hell. Cartoonz was moving around the ruined building, digging their guns out of the rubble and running upstairs at Bryce’s request to grab the backpack he’d never unpacked and some of Ohm’s clothes. In the time it took him to finish, Bryce managed to drag himself painfully off the floor, using the remains of the propane tank he suspected had been used to fuel the explosion to give himself leverage. He was leaning on the cabinet for support, poking his ribs to see the damage when Cartoonz came back.  
  
Cartoonz took one look at Bryce before he started cursing. “Why the fuck didn’ you say anythin’, you goddamn idiot?” he demanded, slinging the backpack over his shoulders.  
  
“What are you…”  
  
“You can’ even move, can you?” Cartoonz interrupted, shoving Bryce’s gun into his hands. He tucked his own into his waistband.  
  
“I can…” the younger hunter trailed off at Cartoonz’ exasperated expression.  
  
“No, you can’. Here.”  
  
If anyone asked, Bryce would say the yelp he made was from pain, not alarm when Cartoonz scooped him up into his arms without any further warning.  
  
“OK?” Cartoonz asked.  
  
Shifting a little to alleviate pressure and feeling absurdly fragile in Cartoonz’ arms, Bryce considered his answer. After all Ohm had done to take care of them, trusting them when he probably shouldn’t have, they’d repaid him by getting his house destroyed. Guilt churned his stomach, but Bryce had to admit he’d have felt worse if it wasn’t taking all his strength to keep from screaming whenever Cartoonz moved.  
  
He adjusted the gun in his left hand and clutched Cartoonz’ shirt tightly in the other. “Yeah. Yeah, we’re good. Get us out of here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like Brytoonz. I'm not sure why; it just makes me rather happy. Although to be fair, pretty much any combination of these four makes me happy, so maybe that's not too much of a stretch.


	7. Thunder (Bryliritoonz)

He had only been gone a minute. While Ohm bought gas, he’d run into the corner store himself with Cartoonz’ picture on his phone, asking if the lady behind the counter had seen him and buying a couple of hopefully-fresh sandwiches for breakfast. When he’d left, armed with the direction of a man with Cartoonz’ beard carrying an unknown blond a couple of hours prior, he’d found both the car, and his new friend with it, totally gone.  
  
At first, he thought Ohm had just panicked. After spending maybe a week – tops – with three random strangers walking into his life and dragging trouble in behind them, his house had been torn apart, and only then did he discover two of his guests (as much as Delirious could be considered a guest, since he’d never set foot in Ohm’s home,) had basically the equivalent of a multi-million dollar bounty on their head, and the bounty hunters were demons. But Ohm didn’t run from trouble – if he did, he would have left Delirious beside that burning motel. Would have left Cartoonz to deal with that first demon alone.  
  
So Delirious searched and, nearly an hour later, found Ohm’s car near an abandoned railway track. The keys were missing, the door still open, and there was blood on the driver’s seat, but no sign of Ohm. The only bright side was that when Delirious popped open the trunk, both his and Cartoonz’ duffel bags were still there, untouched.  
  
A nasty storm had rolled in with the sunrise – heavy, unrelenting rain that soaked straight through Delirious’ bright azure hoodie and left his dishwater-blond hair plastered to his head. Any traces of who had taken Ohm or where they’d gone vanished quickly in the downpour. Delirious stashed the duffel bags in an abandoned construction site early in the day. After that, he’d spent the rest of the morning combing the city for any sign of Ohm or Cartoonz. By noon, most of the power was out in the city. The thunder and lightning was so frequent, Delirious nearly missed the conversation happening around the corner from him, between a tall blonde pretty-boy with a perfect ass he was surprised to recognize, and an – only slightly - shorter man speaking in a low tenor he would know anywhere.  
  
“…never gonna find either of them in this shit, Bryce.”  
  
The pretty-boy shook his head wildly. One of his arms was wrapped around his ribs. “It’s our fault Ohm is out here. If those demons catch him…”  
  
“Delirious will take care of him,” Instantly, humiliation spread up Delirious’ face. Cartoonz sounded so sure of him, and he’d already let him down. Just then, Cartoonz noticed him. “Delirious! There you are!”  
  
Delirious took Cartoonz’ hand and let himself be drawn in for a hug. “I lost Ohm.” No point in hiding it. Cartoonz inhaled sharply, but hugged him tighter.  
  
“What?” Bryce didn’t even sound angry. He sounded horrified, maybe even a little heartbroken.  
  
“I’m sorry,” Delirious mumbled into Cartoonz’ shoulder. Bryce had to move closer to hear him over the downpour. “I only left ‘im for a minute. And he was just… poof.” He jerked away from Cartoonz, looking up into his brown eyes. “They musta thought he was me. We gotta find him, Cartoonz!”  
  
“Where’d you see him last?” Bryce asked.  
  
At the same time, Cartoonz replied with “not in this weather.” When both the younger men sent him betrayed looks, he continued. “It’s a fucking miracle you found us at all. We should find somewhere to wait this shit out and start fresh in the mornin’.”  
  
Bryce still hesitated. Delirious understood how he felt; it was just as much his fault as Bryce’s, if not more. On a whim, he removed one hand from Cartoonz waist and grabbed one of Bryce’s in his own. Bryce’s long fingers were cold. “Cartoonz is right; It won’ do us any good to make ourselves sick out here. We need to rest. Ohm isn’t some damsel in distress. He’ll be OK, wherever he is. “


	8. Heat (Ohmliritoonz)

While Bryce dealt with the bodies, Delirious and Cartoonz hustled Ohm away from the bloody basement they’d found him in and out of the rain. Delirious pushed Ohm, wearing Cartoonz’ coat, into the back seat of the black Ford they’d “borrowed” before crawling in after him. Ohm was shaking uncontrollably, bruises on his neck, torso and wrists, and dried blood on his split lips. Cartoonz closed the door behind them before climbing into the driver’s seat himself.  
  
As soon as the car came to a stop again, Delirious hustled Ohm indoors. The hunters had found the key under the welcome mat of the small house, and keys to the car in the garage in the bowl by the door. The kitchen was all but empty, so the three assumed the owner was away on vacation, and had spent the last two nights there, so Delirious knew exactly where he was going when he left Ohm in the living room and sprinted to the closet upstairs. Cartoonz was only a couple of steps behind them; he beelined straight for the fireplace and immediately began starting a fire.  
  
Ohm was still standing where Delirious left him, blankly watching Cartoonz curse under his breath at the fireplace, when Delirious returned, weighed down with blankets. The masked man whirled on Ohm.  
  
“Strip.” It came out more aggressive than he’d intended, but Ohm seemed too shell-shocked to notice. His hands shook as he shed Cartoonz’ jacket and his shirt; by the time his reached his jeans, the shaking had gotten worse. He fumbled with the button for several moments. Delirious, watching Ohm’s reaction carefully, moved closer to help. Worry shot through him when Ohm let him, simply letting his arms fall to his sides, listless. Delirious made short work of the rest of his clothes, encouraging Ohm in a soft voice to put his hands on the smaller man’s shoulders so he could get the damp socks too.  
  
The second the wet clothes were gone, Delirious bundled him up in warm blankets. He settled Ohm on the couch facing the fire, tucking him in gently and rubbing his hair with a towel. Cartoonz joined them then, removing Ohm’s glasses with unusual tenderness and placing them on the table nearby. Without saying a word, Delirious curled up on one side of Ohm, Cartoonz pressed up against the other. Cuddled between them, warm and safe, Ohm fell into a broken sleep.  
  
Delirious was watching him sleep, alert for any sign of distress, when his mask shifted slightly. He jerked back, startled, only to realize it was Cartoonz. His lover’s finger was under the bottom edge of the hockey mask Delirious hid his face behind, lifting. Calming, he let Cartoonz finish. He felt exposed without it; there were very few people anymore who knew who he was under the mask.  
  
“Get some sleep Del,” Cartoonz’s voice was rough and quiet. “I’ll wake you if he gets up.”  
  
That was all the invitation Delirious needed. He buried his face in the quilts and let himself drift off to two sets of familiar breathing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These 3-way ship names get rather odd, don't they?


	9. Tattoo (Brohmlirious)

Ohm was too warm when he awoke. He tried to push the blankets off himself, but something heavy leaned on his side, holding both him and the blankets in place. The sounds of water and metallic clanging, followed by a quiet curse, told him someone was in the kitchen. Sleepily, his eyes fluttered open. Without his glasses, his vision was blurry, but he could see the glowing remains of a fire in front of him, left untended until it was nothing but hot coals. Turning his head, Ohm could also make out two shirtless men, one on either side of him, that apparently agreed that it was too warm in here. Bryce, he recognized instantly. The young man was sleeping against the back of the couch, neck at a painful angle and his arm draped around Ohm’s shoulders. On his other side, Ohm almost didn’t recognize Delirious.  
  
The smaller man leaned into the blankets Ohm was cocooned in, pressed tightly against the covers as though he could feel Ohm’s heartbeat through them if he tried hard enough. His disheveled hair was nearly brown in the dim light. Short, straight scars littered an unexpectedly delicate face, even more sparsely scattered down his torso and up his arms. There was a black stud in both ears, and, on his back, left forearm, and right shoulder, he had tattoos. Nearest to Ohm was an elegant mess of thorns and colorful flowers, sprawling up his shoulder, over his collarbone and onto his shoulder blade.  
  
The colors and intricate details were breathtaking. Unable to help himself, Ohm’s hand crept out from between the folds of cloth to brush lightly over the skin before him. Delirious hummed contentedly, but hardly twitched at the touch. Emboldened, Ohm’s fingers wandered the maze of vines until a giggle interrupted him. Jerking away as if burned, Ohm’s head whipped around, and found himself face to face with a pair of clear blue eyes.  
  
Bryce hadn’t moved his arm from Ohm’s shoulders, and his sleepy, mischievous grin made heat crawl up Ohm’s face. “It’s pretty, huh?” He whispered, nodding at the tattoo Ohm had been admiring. “There’s one on his wrist too that’s really neat.”  
  
Ohm glanced down, but Delirious’ hands had knotted themselves in the blankets, and he couldn’t see the tattoo in question. He swallowed.  
  
“Thanks for coming for me, Bryce,” he croaked. He froze when Delirious’ arms tightened around him. At the same time, something landed on his shoulder. It was Bryce’s forehead; he’d dropped forward, eyes closed again.  
  
The younger took a deep, shaky breath before he replied, not moving his head from Ohm’s shoulder. “Anytime, Ryan.”


	10. Fear (Brohmtoonz)

“How’d you meet?” Bryce asked.  
  
Cartoonz was sitting on the counter nearby, to Ohm’s annoyance, watching while Bryce washed dishes and Ohm dried. Upstairs, they heard the shower start.  
  
“Grew up together,” Cartoonz drawled. His relaxed and open expression was the only thing keeping Ohm from reminding him that food was prepared on the surface his ass was on.  
  
“That’s cute,” Bryce smiled. “When did you get together?”  
  
“Day Delirious turned eighteen,” Cartoonz replied instantly. He shuffled off to the side to let Ohm put some cutlery in a drawer. “I was too much of a chicken-shit to tell him how I felt, so he did it instead. Jus’ showed up first thin’ in the mornin’, let himself into my house and dragged my ass outta bed to tell me that, because I hadn’t given him a present yet, I had to take him out for dinner instead. Woke the whole goddamn house up.” He chuckled, “Nothin’ scares him. Good thing Mama wasn’ home, or she’d’ve beat his ass.”  
  
“Not really,” he added, seeing Ohm’s startled expression. “Delirious’ family’s so screwed up, he spent more time at my place than his own. If you ask my mama, she’s got four kids insteada three.”  
  
That made Bryce giggle a little, but the smile on his face looked like porcelain. Ohm understood: Family wasn’t his favorite topic either, so he hurried the conversation along. “And you two took up demon hunting together? That’s a strange hobby.”  
  
“Delirious’ fault.”  
  
“Of course it is,” Bryce teased, his easy manner back in an instant.  
  
“It’s true!” Cartoonz insisted, laughing. “Dragged me up and down the coast looking for ghosts ‘til we found one. Next thing I know we’re breaking up a demon’s fucking Hellgate ceremony in Rapid City and…” Abruptly, his expression turned serious. “I can’ lose him.”  
  
“Me neither,” Ohm mumbled. He fixed his eyes on the floor. “I’ve never had many friends. I don’t… want to be alone again.”  
  
“You guys are so depressing.” Bryce flicked water at them both in turn. “We’re gonna kill these demons, it’s gonna be awesome, and we’ll all live happily ever after.”  
  
Cartoonz poked Bryce in the thigh with a socked toe, prompting Bryce to swat awkwardly at him with the soapy dishrag. “That was the worst fuckin’ pep talk I’ve ever heard in my entire life. Goddammit, Bryce.”  
  
“It’ll be fine,” Bryce insisted, undeterred. He wrapped an arm around his ribs, wincing slightly. “It’s a solid plan, and, let’s be honest, we make a pretty good team.” His crystal gaze landed on Ohm, who still found the floor to be immensely fascinating. “All of us.”  
  
“Aww, how sweet. Maybe we can defeat them with the power of _friendship _.” There wasn’t any real heat behind the taunt, and the youngest could clearly tell. The two devolved into friendly, off-topic bickering while Ohm watched, picking at the bandages on his wrists.__  
  
“I really hope you’re right, Brycie.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I kinda want to apologize. The fill-in-the-blanks-yourself gaps in the story? The really big one is between this one and the next. It's mostly intentional, since the drabbles these started as were supposed to focus on the boys rather than the action, but even so, it's a little jarring. Or disappointing. Probably both. I like to think these two turned out the best though, so hopefully it's worth it anyway!


	11. Photograph (H2OBrohmtoonz)

The car Cartoonz was driving - faster than Ohm was honestly comfortable with - was probably stolen. He stubbornly resisted all attempts to change the music he’d picked, but at least he’d been convinced to turn the volume down to a level they could hear each other over. Although they’d been on the road for a couple of hours, he continued to insist that he was still fine driving – they all pretended not to know he just didn’t want to hand the keys over to someone else.  
  
Bryce was lounging in the passenger seat. The seatbelt was done up around his waist, but to protect his sore ribs, Bryce had tucked the sash behind his back. His arm was hanging out his open window, seat pushed back as far as it would go to accommodate his long legs, leaving Ohm with little space behind him. He sang along with the chorus of almost every song that played, albeit usually in a far more light-hearted tone than the actual lyrics.  
  
Adding to the hazard was Delirious, both mask and seatbelt-free, and leaning over the front seats to chat with the other two over the noise. It was his directions that were taking them to Massachusetts, to see, of all things, the Museum of Bad Art. At one point, he stuck his finger in Cartoonz’ ear, reaching around him to adjust the music while Cartoonz slapped at him.  
  
In the back seat, Ohm was watching the chaos with the growing certainty that they were going to be on the five o’clock news as a smoking wreck. His mother would be… well, she probably wouldn’t be surprised, if he was honest. She might even be pleased that he’d finally proved her right. He’d always be determined not to let her win, all through high school, then university, until he finally landed himself a job at the hospital.  
  
And he was throwing it all away for three guys he’d known for almost two weeks. The same guys who’d helped destroy his house. To go hunt monsters. Laying it out like that, Ohm briefly considered asking Cartoonz to drop him off at a hospital in the next city they drove through so he could have himself committed.  
  
(They’d also come looking for him.)  
  
Delirious had his head thrown back, cackling ecstatically at whatever excited nonsense had come out of his mouth without thinking it through. Bryce’s smile was wide and genuine, like the bright summer sunshine that was bringing out the reddish highlights in his hair. Cartoonz only had one hand on the wheel, the other punctuating whatever he’d been saying with an emphasizing middle finger, but his gaze (now free of bandages, but sporting a spectacular X-shaped scar), was warm and open when he looked at them.  
  
On a whim, Ohm shuffled stealthily across the back seat, phone in hand. He was a little surprised when none of the others took notice. They were all usually so jumpy; a necessity of their dangerous profession, he supposed. Still, he appreciated it now. The picture he took was a happy one, free of their usual posturing. Once safely buckled back into his seat, Ohm leaned his head against the back of the chair, his eyes drifting closed to the familiar cacophony. He found he couldn’t bring himself to regret coming with them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who's read this - it really means a lot to me! I'm just getting back into writing after a long hiatus, and I have a couple of other ideas too, so maybe I'll see you again?


End file.
